Coronavirus: Tens Of Thousands Of Retired Medics Asked To Return To NHS

Source: BBC News

Letters are being sent to more than 65,000 retired doctors and nurses in England and Wales asking them to return to the NHS to help tackle the coronavirus outbreak. Senior officials say the ex-employees are needed to boost frontline services.

It comes after the government pledged to ensure that all hospitals have enough protective gear and ventilators. It also published a list of key workers whose children will still be able to go to school after they shut later.

In Scotland, anyone who left the medical profession during the past three years has also been asked to consider returning to the NHS. Meanwhile, the chancellor is set to announce a wage subsidy package to protect jobs.

Many firms are warning of collapse, wiping out thousands of jobs, as life in the UK is largely put on hold. One proposal under discussion is for the UK to follow the lead of countries such as Denmark, where the government has promised to cover 75% of salaries at private companies for three months, if they promise not to let staff go...


Read more: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-51969104

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In the UK, 144 people with the virus have died, and 3,269 people have tested positive for Covid-19.

Schools in the UK will close from Friday except for those looking after the children of key workers and vulnerable children.

Who are "key workers"?

The full list includes:
◾Frontline health workers such as doctors and nurses
◾Some teachers and social workers
◾Workers in key public services including those essential to the justice system, religious staff, and public service journalists
◾ Local and national government workers deemed crucial to delivering essential public services
◾Workers involved in food production processing, distribution, sale and delivery
◾Public safety workers including police, armed forces personnel, firefighters, and prison staff
◾Essential air, water, road and rail transport workers
◾Utilities, communication and financial services staff, including postal workers, and waste disposal workers